'Alcatraz' Drama Picked Up To Pilot At Fox

It’s been a quick greenlight for Alcatraz, the JJ Abrams-produced drama, which landed at Fox with a pilot commitment a week ago. I hear the project, described as “a show about mysteries, secrets and the most infamous prison of all time: Alcatraz,” has been picked up to pilot by the network with a production order. Elizabeth Sarnoff penned the final script, while Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt wroteearlier versions. All 3 are credited as writers on the pilot. Sarnoff will serve as showrunner and will executive produce with Abrams and Bryan Burk. Lilien and Wynbrandt will co-executive produce. Abrams’ Bad Robot Prods is producing with Warner Bros TV. This will be the second off-cycle pilot order for Fox, which also recently greenlighted the comedy pilot Outnumbered.